Page 42 of A Hero in Hiding

“Hey, you okay?” I ask as I reach over for his hand.

“I am absolutelysickof this shit,” he growls, and the look on Dennis’s face tells me that I’m not the only one surprised by this. “I am beyond irritated that I have sacrificed so much of my life for this city. I lost my teenage years; I never got to go to college. I never got to do anything because I constantly had to be ‘on.’ These fucking villains and horrible people don’t take breaks. And I hadno onehelping me besides the people at Superheroes United. The police stepped back because they all thought the hero should do it. I was akid, absolutely terrified that I was going to make a mistake… that someone was going to die. ThatIwas going to die.

“There was so much riding on me to protect people, and when I couldn’t… when I’d lose people, it killed me inside. It fucking… tore me open and hurt so damn bad, but it didn’t matter because an hour later some other idiot would try something that I had to be there for. But it was okay because I always had the city behind me. Because I’d have people come to me and tell me how I saved someone they loved. How I helped them.”

August takes a deep breath and I squeeze his hand. He squeezes it right back and gives me a soft smile before turning back to Dennis. “And now what?” he asks. “Wefinally need help.Weare the ones who could use support, and instead, we’re finding people who are trying to blame us. I’m tired of it. If that’s how the city sees us, I can be done. I’ll just stop right here, and I’ll pass the reins over to any one of you. So, Dennis, what would you like? If you want all that pressure, you can fucking have it,” August growls.

Dennis is silent for a moment; we all are. “I… would not like that,” he finally says. “This city needs your protection.”

“Yeah? And I need Landon. This city needs Leviathan whether they like it or not,” he says. “We don’t know yet who this super is who is causing these illusions, but we will find them, and we will stop them. Everyone just needs to hold tight while we do so.”

“That’s fantastic to hear,” Dennis says.

He wraps up without me having to sayanything, which is my kind of interview. My favorite kind of interview, honestly. When the camera finally turns off, August stares at Dennis for a moment.

“Sorry,” August says as we get up from the chairs, because no matter how angry he gets, he’s completely pure at heart. “I got a bit… riled up.”

“You’re fine,” Dennis assures August. “The media’s job is to fan the flames for a good clip… it doesn’t always mean it’s right. Doesn’t mean I always want to do it… but I think you did good,” he says as Valerie walks us to the door.

“Thanks,” August responds, holding the door open for me as Zacia trots after us.

“God, you’re such a gentleman,” I say as I pass through and run into someone I hadn’t noticed was coming the other way.

Immense pain tears into my side as I jerk back in surprise. I lift my hand to fling the woman to the moon when August shoves her back, and suddenly, Deus appears and is on her. He flings her to the ground, stepping down on her throat as he kicks the knife from her and points the barrel of his gun in her face.

“What the fuck?” August asks.

“What the fuck…” I repeat as I hold my hand out and find it covered in blood as security comes rushing in to see what’s happened. “She… stabbed me… August, I think I’ve been stabbed. Did she stab me? I’m bleeding blood.”

“Do I kill her?” Deus asks. “Or break every bone in her body?”

The woman growls at him like a feral animal as I stare down at her in confusion. And with a flick of Deus’s hand, the single pin August had left with Deus hits her right between the eyes.

“Ooh,” I say, weirdly impressed.

“Fucking hell—” she starts until Deus halts her speech as he cuts off her airway by grabbing her into a choke hold while whispering some kind of demonic threat into her ear that instantly stops her fighting.

August quickly pulls me back into the room where Dennis is sorting something on the desk.

“What just happened?” he asks as I notice that what he was picking up was a gun. He has a gun… he’s going to shoot August. He’s going to hurt August—

In a panic, I hold my hand out and push him against the wall, but August catches my hand and slides his fingers between mine. “Don’t! He doesn’t have anything.”

“He’s got a gun,” I say urgently.

“He doesn’t. They’re fucking with your mind.”

My brain is telling me that August is wrong, but I also know that I will always trust him. “Fuck…” Releasing the man, I touch my stomach, but it just makes it hurt worse. “August, I was stabbed! Someone stabbed me! What an assholish thing to do! I was just like minding my own business! I know sometimes I say shit that should lead to some stabbery but this time I was beinggood. I was stabbed! This is what I get for being good!”

“No, it’s okay. Dennis, get help!”

“I was a combat medic in the military,” Dennis says as he rushes over to us while August lowers me into a chair. Zacia leaps onto the table, looking more than a bit concerned about the happenings.

“Is there a medical team here? Is the ambulance coming?” August asks, acting completely panicked. He’s so panicked he doesn’t seem to even know what to do with his hands or body.

The door busts open and suddenly Deus appears before us, barrel of his gun pressed against Dennis’s head. “Who the fuck are you?” Deus growls, voice low and deep, eyes dark.

Dennis looks shocked as he puts his hands up. “I’m just trying to help.”

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